Light Return and Shadows

Diamond facets act like windows and mirrors, concentrating the brightness from light sources, and then returning it to your eyes.

The redder an Ideal-Scope image, the brighter the diamond.

All diamonds leak some light. Generally less leakage is better. Leakage appears as white areas in an Ideal-Scope.

Small areas of leakage around the girdle add contrast in the spaces between the star tips.

Firey flashes are often from girdle leakage areas, especially in prong set diamonds.

Too much girdle leakage makes a diamond look small. A small amount of girdle leakage aids contrast

Pale pink in the table area is normal. It is not as bad as it appears. The pale area only leaks 25% and returns 75%. Combine your Ideal Light with a CZ Comparison set that includes an excellent H&A’s quality CZ and a bad cut CZ to make showing the difference easy.

The head shadow star adds contrast and sparkle.

Firey colors also show up better in the darker head shadow areas.

• diamonds show a dark “Hearts and Arrows” star
• the head shadow star shows good cutting & optical symmetry

• too many rays enter and leave in the direction of your head
• when viewed  close up, your head blocks  some light sources
• dark patchy areas of head shadow return less light

• rays enter and leave the table in the direction of your head
• your head blocks light to the table
• outer facets leak